Product Design
Think of some products you use every day, like your water bottle or laptop, or backpack. Product design, also known as industrial design, is responsible for optimizing the function, value, and appearance of objects. If you have an eye for aesthetics and a mind for problem-solving, product design may be a good career for you.
Walla Walla University fully embraces product design as the intersection of art, engineering, and psychology. Our Adventist product design program focuses on nurturing the technical skills needed to develop concepts, the thinking skills used to solve problems, and the soft skills necessary for collaboration.
College Experience
What will your college experience look like as a Product Design major?
Unconventional classes: Your product design classes will be almost entirely project-based, and will emphasize hands-on skills like sketching, model-making, and computer-aided design (CAD). Studio classes offer a unique chance to add a new, professional piece to add to your portfolio every quarter.
Unique opportunities: We offer small class sizes that allow one-on-one interaction with professors, and a full-fledged wood shop, metals and machining shop where you will have all the tools you need to conceptualize and fabricate your ideas.
Personal studio space: Each student has their own desk space in our product design studio, where they can mingle across grade levels and work on projects. Working side-by-side allows for critique and collaboration.
Student design events: Every year there are chances to display your work: an annual design portfolio show and various design exhibits. Our building also holds a store where you can sell items that you designed and created.
Career Path
What can your career path as a Product Design major look like?
Product design graduates can expect to enter a competitive job market, necessitating the development of an extensive and refined body of work during college. Typically, product designers work at either a design firm that does work for other businesses or at a company as a part of an in-house design team. With our program’s strengths in CAD and the market’s demand for drafting skills, new graduates often work at engineering and design firms, and construction companies. Developing a strong portfolio and building industry connections are the keys to advancing in the field.
Within two years of graduating, our alumni have worked at institutions such as Grovemade, Dakota Jackson, Barkley, Key Technology, Aseptico Inc., D.A. International Group, the Institute of Human-Centered Design, and more.
